Sheffield boxer offers his purse to city rival if he loses

Bob Westerdale

Sheedy is so determined to make his name in his new middleweight division that he says that he will hand over his purse if Etches beats him.

Etches has laughed off the challenge - saying there is too big a gulf between the two. But Sheedy is deadly serious about the financial offer.

“I have gone up from light middleweight and know I am the best in my division in Sheffield” he says. “Going up means I can reach my potential with power and nobody could live with me in the city. Adam has only boxed blown-up, limited welterweights from places like Latvia and Bulgaria - now here’s a chance to put on a show which people would really want to watch. Everybody knows me and Adam in Sheffield, so let’s get it on.

“We could make it a Commonwealth title eliminator, I have a date available on July 23. I want to fight him now because when I have won that, and then the Commonwealth he will be long gone. He can have the bigger purse, in fact he can have mine as well, if he wins. I’ll even throw in my new £150 boots.”

Etches, known as the Birley Bomber said: “I am a different league completely. Sheedy is not on my level, or my radar.

Adam Etches

“I am looking for fights against people like Chris Eubank Jr and Billy Joe Saunders.

“Fighting Sam Sheedy doesn’t make sense - either in terms of finances or climbing up the ladder to my ultimate goal of being a world champion.

“It would be like Kell Brook taking on a welterweight from Glyn Rhodes’ gym who has just won his first four fights.

“The truth is I am not interested in that level, the only fighters with something to offer in Sheffield are Kell and Kid Galahad.”